


Questions

by Tazzy_Ladynero



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: Gen, If you haven't seen that don't read this, Personal opinions only, Rejection of the Gift spoilers, Unbeta-ed, vague mention of rape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-01
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-12-22 09:27:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11964540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tazzy_Ladynero/pseuds/Tazzy_Ladynero
Summary: Khadgar has questions. Illidan makes him think.





	Questions

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this is a personal opinion story based off of the events of the cut scene titled "Rejection of the Gift". If you haven't seen it yet, here's the link. This story is full of spoilers of that and what I think happens next. Also, there's a brief, vague mention of rape in this story, like a sentence, even if it's not mentioned by name. That's the reason for the archive warnings.

(([Link ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td0pUwrBWjc)to the video))

 

Khadgar’s eyes followed the imposing figure of Illidan as the large half demon kaldorei left the rest of them in the room. The remains of the Naaru  Xe'ra still lay scattered across the ground while stunned whispers were starting up again, and Khadgar was sure more than one furious look was being thrown at Illidan who was ignoring them all. Khadgar was many things, and he liked to imagine that he had grown and learned during his many years, but he was troubled right now. Why had Illidan attacked the Naaru? Did his fel blood ride so close to the surface that he could no longer consider himself worthy of such a being?

A quick glance around showed that no one was paying him any attention, and Khadgar quietly slipped away, following Illidan on silent feet more to keep from drawing attention to his actions than any desire or want of sneaking up on the Lord of Outlands. Illidan had the answers to the questions Khadgar had swirling through his head, and while he might not answer directly or in a roundabout way, he would still often answer questions put to him. 

“Lord Illidan, may I have a few moments of your time?” Khadgar called once he could no longer hear the people left in  Xe'ra’s chamber , his voice respectful, and he had to confess he was a bit surprised when Illidan actually stopped, partially turning to look back at him.

“Are you not afraid to be labeled a betrayer as well, mage?” inquired Illidan, the almost casual mockery in his tone familiar now. In many ways, this powerful individual reminded Khadgar of the moonsabers in Kalimdor. Playful and almost friendly, but a yawn or a stretch that flashed razor sharp claws was enough to remind a person that they were deadly killers.

“More like I have questions without answers,” Khadgar stated, moving to stand beside Illidan without blocking him. “Why did you attack Xe’ra?”

Folding his arms, Illidan tapped a claw on a bicep that was still stained fel green, but Khadgar didn’t think it was an impatient action, merely a thinking one. “What was your opinion of the…  _ discussion _ … between myself and the Naaru?”

Khadgar frowned slightly at the emphasis of Ilidan’s words, but he supposed the kaldorei was being diplomatic. “It was very strange. I have never heard of any Naaru offering a gift before, let alone to one of demonic taint or there would undoubtedly be Broken lining up for miles for such an offer.”

Illidan inclined his head, and Khadgar was once again surprised that the huge horns he had didn’t over balance him and send him crashing to the ground. He suppose anyone could get use to anything if they had to. “Go on.”

So there was something more that he was suppose to be seeing. Closing his eyes, Khadgar thought back to the conversation. Xe’ra made a comment about Illidan’s promise as a child, and Illidan responded that he’d sacrificed that birthright. Yet, there hadn’t been any remorse in those words. Only an old conviction as if he had come to terms with what had happened when he had lost his sight. Then Xe’ra had asked if he wanted to be hole, but Illidan replied with all he wanted was an end to the Legion. 

Khadgar’s eyes flew open, and he stared at Illidan, shocked. Xe’ra had mentioned a redemption and making Illidan whole as she had sent the light out towards him, offering to take away his scars, all the time sounding like a kindly if ancient grandmother who only wanted the best for her child. Even referring to Illidan as “my child” a few times.

But Illidan had refused the gift.  _ I have traded my freedom for power before, _ he had said **_as he_ ** **_backed away from Xe’ra_ ** . It was as blatant a refusal as saying no, but Xe’ra hadn’t listened, too focused on making Illidan “whole”. 

“She attacked you,” Khadgar stated, things starting to click in his head. “She didn’t care that you were refusing her offer, she was going to do it anyway.” Which meant that the only option Illidan had was to destroy the Naaru first, or he would always be under the threat of being attacked in a manner again.

Now a small smile curled one side of Illidan’s lips, not one of mocking or pride, but a sort of bittersweet one, as if he hadn’t wanted to tell a child that Father Winter wasn’t real. “If I had not acted, she would have found some way of changing me to fit her ideals,” he remarked, the fel-green fire behind the blindfold narrowing in irritation and perhaps a touch of fear? Khadgar wasn’t sure, but given Illidan’s past experiences with powerful beings wanting to change him, Khadgar wouldn’t blame him for feeling a bit of fear. “She attempted to claim what wasn’t hers, determined to fulfil her prophecy. There are names for people who take what doesn’t belong to them.”

“Are you claiming to be a saint now?” Khadgar offered a small smile at the light hearted jab even as his heart sank. He knew the name for people who took things, but it looked like it was much more than that. Xe’ra’s energy had been  _ infusing _ Illidan, wiping away the fel green of the markings that curled over his body, and there was a name for people who violated another’s body with their own as well.

Illidan snorted and gestured slightly with his left hand, stained bright fel green from catching Turalyon’s sword when the man attempted to cut down a weakened Illidan. “Ah yes, the saint of Outlands, beloved by all who see him,” he drawled in his familiar mocking tone. “Perhaps A’dal and I might sit down and have tea later.” He shook his head. “At least that Naaru was honest in what it wanted from me.”

“You hardly endeared yourself to the natives of Outlands,” Khadgar pointed out. “And none of us knew about your plans to move against the Legion. All we saw was you amassing an army and consorting with demons.”

Illidan huffed what might have been a laugh, and he opened his mouth to say something when there was the scrape of felsteel against the wall. Turning farther down the hall, Khadgar noticed Kayn Sunfury standing there, a warglaive in one hand and looking a great deal like a Sin’dorei version of Illidan. Odd how Khadgar had never noticed it before, but to be truthful, Khadgar didn’t spend a great deal of time with the demon hunters.

“Is everything alright, Master?” inquired Kayn, his voice polite and giving nothing away. “There was the sounds of a disturbance.”

“Merely a disagreement between parties, Kayn,” Illidan said, and Khadgar bit back a snort of amusement. That was certainly one way to put it, and Kayn bowed, sliding his weapon onto his back with the other. The way the blades curved above his head gave him a strange, beetle-like appearance, as if they were some form of deadly pincer waiting for prey to stumble unaware into their grasp. “Gather your brothers and sisters in our main room. We have much to do before our next strike against the Legion.”

Kayn didn’t even question Illidan’s orders, simply saluted and vanished on silent feet, and Khadgar stared after him. He knew the demon hunters were loyal to Illidan, but it was rather strange how they called him “Master”. “Anxious to kill more demons?”

“Tell me, Khadgar, if I had not opened the portal between Azeroth and Argus, how long would the leaders have argued back and forth about who would go, what supplies would be taken, and when they would leave?” Illidan asked, and Khadgar blinked at the unusual question. He certainly hadn’t been expecting that sort of inquiry, but he turned his mind towards the problem more out of intellectual stimulation than anything else.

With the current tensions between the Horde and Alliance, it would have been close to impossible to get anything done at all, especially against the Legion. With Illidan opening the portal, it forced them to take an active stance against the demons instead of a reactive one, heading to Argus before any of the demons could figure out how to come to Azeroth. Perhaps not the most elegant of actions, but it certainly cut through the red tape and political bickering.

Emerging from his thoughts, he blinked and looked around, finding himself alone in the hallway. Apparently, Illidan had decided to not wait for the answer to his question, but Khadgar had a feeling that was another reason Illidan was always asking questions of people when they asked him questions, to get them to think for themselves instead of just following along with whatever everyone else believed and said.

Rather cunning for someone whose followers called him “Master” and obeyed him without question. Khadgar shook his head. No, Illidan Stormrage was no saint, not by a long shot, but he wasn’t the horrible demonic entity so many had painted him as either. Nothing was black and white in life, and that was especially true for the leader of the Illidari.

**Author's Note:**

> Blame my husband for the "beetle" reference in regards to Kayn. He asked why I was playing a beetle when I rolled up a demon hunter, and I laughed for a few minutes when I realized it did look like a beetle with how the warglaives are carried on their backs.


End file.
